the Divine Spine

The human spine is a brilliant work of art! It houses nerves, ligaments, muscles, divine energy and all that sweet stuff! Crazy cool connections are being made up and down the spine all day.

It’s a spectacular super highway for many important signals linking your brain to the rest of your amazing body. You could say the spine’s got some nerve! Bundles and bundles of nerves actually. Wow, spine, you’re so cool!

Indian Masters believe that the brain and spine are altars of God. On a physical level, the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a role in the overall goal of yoga to experience God as pure consciousness on the spiritual level.

Although ‘God‘ is difficult to define in words, an Indian Master described it as; “ever-present, ever-lasting, ever-new joy.” Sounds good to me.

It could be related to the physical effect of the body’s two most marvelous binds- serotonin and endorphins. Candace Pert, Ph.D., a world-renowned neuroscientist, calls neuropeptides the “molecules of emotion.” The greatest concentration of these amazing lil “messenger molecules” are in the CSF.

Proper flow of this “life fluid” is of major importance. The father of Osteopathy (A.T. Still) called CSF the “great river of life in the body.” The sushumna (major energy channel) runs up and down the spine. When our spines are healthy, vital prana (and Kundalini) can flow freely!

Yogi Bhajan said, “Age is measured by the flexibility of the spine.” Through asanas, pranayamas, and meditation, the flow of CSF is greatly enhanced; resulting in the super fantastic functioning of our neuropeptide friends!

Humans and giraffes have the same number of cervical vertebrae (neck bones), just different sizes. Most mammals have that same number, except for our cute lil underwater friend, the manatee, who has only six!

Dr. Rita Khanna said the spine “is like a string of beads; but instead of the string holding the beads together, as in a Japa Mala, it is the beads (the vertebrae) that protect the string (the spinal cord) inside.”